Escape
by Wolfrunner99-2
Summary: AU on how Jack became a Guardian. Pitch has taken control of the world by kidnapping all of the children of the world, Jack included. Jack escapes to the Guardians, but just how far will he have to go to truly break free from the bonds that hold him in fear?
1. Escaping the Compound

North and the other Guardians were gathered at the Pole, looking at the moon crystal that had risen from the ground, courtesy of the moon. The MiM had just told them of Pitch's plan, and what he planned to do with the children.

"He is choosing new Guardian!" North said with awe.

"Oh, I wonder who it could be!?" Tooth shouted with glee.

Bunny could be heard begging for it not to be the Groundhog as the others tries to guess who it was. They were all surprised to see who it was.

"Jack Frost!?" North said.

"Jack Frost!? He's just a kid, he doesn't care about children! All he does is freeze water particles and mess with my egg hunts! He's an irresponsible, selfish-" Bunny ranted.

"Wait, Bunny, you say he is child?" North interrupted.

"Yeah, he can't be more than fourteen! How is supposed ta protect the children? He looks like he can barely take care of himself!" Bunny said.

"Bunny, Manny said ALL of the children. Do you think that that includes Jack?" Tooth said.

Bunny opened his mouth, then closed it in shock. "We have ta get him before Pitch does." Unfortunately, they were too late. Pitch already had him. They had failed their duties as Guardians.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~FOUR YEARS LATER~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_ ~_~_~

Jack fell awkwardly on his right arm, the force of the shove causing the fragile appendage to snap and pain shot through his nerves. Even with the pain, he barely let out a whimper. It was not the first time he had had his arm broken while taking the blame for something he did not do. Currently, he was being punished for throwing his water at one of the guards, even though it was an accidental slip up from a younger kid.

Being imprisoned by Pitch Black, the Nightmare King, was not without consequence for ones body. Of course, Jack had reasons for letting himself be punished, other than that the kid didn't deserve to be punished for a mistake. One reason was that was going around personally to give nightmares to the kids. Another was that by doing this, he would get something crucial for his plans to escape.

All of the prisoners here were kids. Pitch's rule began when he had the Nightmare Army that was at his command kidnap all the children of the world. Jack, even though he was 300 years old and the Spirit of Winter, was included in this. He had died at 14, never to age another day in his life. Ever since he had been taken, Jack devoted himself to making Pitch regret that he had ever thought to kidnap children. It worked smoothly until Pitch had his staff taken away from him.

After that happened, Jack refused to use his powers when he was around the other children, the guards, really any living thing that he could potentially harm. Even if they did deserve it. So jack spent his time meticulously planning his escape, taking note of every guard patrol that went by, keeping tabs in his head on when Pitch was around. He had mapped out almost the entire building in his head, memorizing every twist and turn that the dark, windowless building posessed until he knew them like the back of his hand. Unless they decided to suddenly change the routine that they had kept up for the past four years today, Jack would not be surprised by anything.

The Nightmare Guard forced him to his feet. The nightmares were often seen in the forms of horses, but when doling out punishments, they were in the form of humans. It was easier to control the kids that way.

"You broke my arm." Jack stated emotionlessly. The silent guard took his arm and examined it closely, finally letting go when it deemed that it was truly broken. It forced Jack down a hall, through the long, large, dark building. There was not a lot of light there, only enough to cast shadows.

Instead of taking him to the medical wing, the guard forced him to continue forward. "Um, you know that we just past the medical wing, right?" Jack questioned. The guard, as always, was silent, still forcing the Winter Spirit forward. Jack was being shoved slowly but steadily towards a part of the compound he had never been to before. Jack was going to have to wait another day to escape if he wasn't back in his cell on time.

Jack was nervous about going to this new part. It felt dark and cold. Not Jack's kind of cold, but and evil one. It felt like when Pitch was around. Maybe this was the part of the compound that Pitch stayed in. Jack tucked this thought away for future reference.

The guard finally allowed Jack to stop in front of an ornate door, made completely of black sand. It creeped Jack out, really. The guard seemed slightly afraid as it knocked on the door. After a moment of awkward waiting, the door simply disolved, showing blackness beyond.

Jack shuddered at the sense of foreboding that overtook him. It increased as black sand pushed him further into the dark. There were few things that the Winter Spirit was afraid of, but the dark was one of them. If it were up to Jack, he would cover the world in snow, giving light to the darkness as the moon and stars reflected off the cold, white crystals of ice.

Jack let out a slightly feral growl as the sand became more forceful. As a result, the sand smacked him in the head and gave him a shove that knocked him to the ground. Jack gave out a whimper and held his injured arm close to him. The sand weaved its way through his tangled, dirty, white hair and dragged to his feet, making him cry out in pain.

Jack felt himself being dragged cruelly through the blackness, but was having trouble focussing on anything other than the sharp pain in his head and the white hot burning in his arm. He tried to block out the pain, but his brain refused to comply.

He had to force back a choked sob of relief as he was finally released on a small patch of light, seemingly the only one in the room. He shook his head like a dog, intent on ridding his hair of the black sand that was there. He stiffened as he heard a cold laugh that sent shivers down his spine.

"Oh Jack, when will you learn? There really is no point in being defiant. After four years, you should know that." Jack glared in the direction the silky, british voice had come from.

"Ah well, I don't really see why I am here. One minute I was spreading snow, doing my job, minding my own business, and the next I am stuck in a windowless building with only my staff to keep me occupied. Then you very rudely took my staff away, so to be honest, I am very bored. There's nothing to do but sit here 24/7." Jack said conversationally, as though he were not in extreme pain and actually a little scared.

"Why don't you take a little nap? I am sure my nightmares could give you something to occupy your mind with. They are a little put out that they never get to play with you. After all, every time they try, you are wide awake, freezing your cell. Pity, I had hoped that taking away your staff would stop that, it being your main source of power." Pitch sneered. Jack thought he was a fool for thinking that the staff had any power, it actually dampened his power.

"Well, we all know that you and Hope don't exactly get along." Jack added a sharp chuckle at the end, keeping up his tough guy act.

He let out a little noise as black sand curled around his throat warningly, just enough to scare and bruise him a bit, not enough to actually cause any real harm. "I will only say this once, so listen closely, Frost," Pitch spat as he finally came into view. "Never again will you ever mention that ridiculous rabbit again, nor any of those foolish guardians. They are no more. You see, as long as I have the children, they cannot attack me. They are too afraid and too weak to take the risk of harming the children in an attack. Do you understand?" Jack glared at the ground, knowing better than to provoke Pitch in a time like this.

"What do you want, Pitch? My arm is broken and I would really like to get it set before it heals on its own and I have to get it re-broken." He said, forcing to make his tone sound compliant and not defiant.

"Maybe if you stopped riling up the nightmares you wouldn't have to go to the medical wing so often." Pitch snapped dismissively. The shade sighed, as though disappointed in Jack's answer. He waved his hand and Jack was once again forcefully led through the compound, back to the medical wing. His arm was set and wrapped in a splint, and Jack was locked inside his cell.

Jack sighed in relief when he realized that he would not have to set his plans back a day. Seeing the lone nightmare guard walk by, he began to shift the bandages off his arm until he got to the metal and wood splint. The splint was made of three parts, metal, wood, metal. They were all very sharp, thin triangles when separated.

Being careful not to disrupt it too much, Jack's nimble fingers separated one of the metal parts. When he had it, he carefully rebandaged his arm and began to pick the lock.

He winced as the door clicked quietly, but the guard was long gone by now, probably in the next hall. Like a ghost, he slipped out of his cell, through the halls, avoiding guards and out of the windowless compound Jack had been memorizing for four years.

He only let out a sigh when he was about a mile away. Only then did he call the felt the wind surge joyfully around him. Jack gave a smile, glad to have his friend and protector around him once more. He mentally willed the wind to pick him up, which it did gladly. It was difficult to communicate how high and fast Jack wanted to go without his staff, so his flight to the North Pole was choppy, the fact that he was injured did not help.

Jack landed badly on his left ankle, breaking it. Jack winced, hopping up and down on one foot. The wind lifted him off the ground, sensing his pain. Steeling his nerves, he had the wind fly him to the front door. He slowly brought his good arm up, and knocked. There was a shuffling behind the door, then it opened up a crack. A tall, furry yeti appeared from within. Jack recognized him as Phil, Head of Security at the pole.

"Hey Phil, long time no see." Jack said, a hesitant grin on his face. Phil's eyes widened at him, then the yeti rubbed his eyes and he pinched himself. "Um, Phil? You aren't dreaming." Jack said, letting out a little chuckle. Phil reached out to grab him, but Jack flinched back, throwing up his good arm. Phil froze, and Jack slowly let his arm come back down, smiling sheepishly. "Sorry, Phil. You surprised me." Phil once again reached out, much more slowly, and grabbed Jack's shoulder gently. He pull the Winter Spirit towards himself. When Phil was sure that Jack was real and was not going to disappear, he pulled the immortal child into a hug. Jack gasped and tensed at first, but he slowly relaxed. "Hey Phil, I need to speak to the Guardians." Phil nodded understandingly and ushered Jack out of the cold winter wasteland outside the Workshop.

Yetis stared at Jack as he was led through the Workshop. Phil stopped at a large, cheery door with Russian music blasting through it. Phil was about to rudely open the door but Jack stopped him.

"Don't you think we should knock?" Phil winced and knocked loudly on the door. There was a pause, then the music shut off. Loud stomps could be heard coming towards the door. The door opened fully, revealing a tall, large, Russian. Jack flew back a little unconsciously. The man noticed the movement and looked at Jack. He then mimicked Phil unknowingly by rubbing his eyes and pinching himself. Jack would have laughed at the reactions he was getting if he weren't in pain.

"Um… Hi. You're North, right?" North nodded, still staring, mouth hanging open. Jack hovered awkwardly, not sure what to say.

"Jack Frost. You are Jack Frost, da?" North said, breaking out of his shock and making Jack jump in mid-air.

"Yes, that's me. Jack Frost, Spirit of Winter, Immortal Child." Jack said hesitantly.

"B-but Pitch took you!" North said loudly, making Jack wince a little, but smile. Jack was filled with Wonder over North's accent. It had been a while since he had heard a different accent other than Pitch's.

"I… sorta… escaped." Jack said, still hesitant. He looked from North to the ceiling. He was surprised to hear a joyful laugh coming from the big man.

"You escaped with one arm!? How!?" North shouted loudly. He had such a childishly curious face, Jack couldn't bring himself not to tell him. Jack told him how he used part of his splint to help him escape.

"How did Pitch get you? Every spirit was looking for you to keep you from him, how did he get to you first?" North asked seriously.

People had been looking for him? He hadn't known that. "I was spreading snow over one of the compounds. To cheer some of the kids up. I landed on the branch of this really big tree, just watching, thinking of what I could do to get the kids to have a little fun without them getting them in trouble. Then I was falling through darkness. I landed on my back, and Pitch was staring down at me. I tried to call the wind, but I couldn't. Pitch's nightmares forced me into a cell. I did my best to ruin Pitch's life, freezing over everything, telling the kids about you guys. About a year ago, Pitch tried to put a stop to it by taking away my staff. I had to distance myself from the kids after that. I didn't have anything to channel and dampen my powers, so they were out of control. I didn't want to hurt any of the kids because I couldn't control my powers. I would still tell them stories, keep them believing. I told them that if they ever got transfered, they were to tell the other kids the stories, and keep them believing. We were only allowed to be in the same room during meals and for one hour a day, so I protected them when I could. I would take the beatings and punishments that were supposed to go to the kids, I would give my food ration to the younger ones because I can survive without eating. When I was away from them in my cell, I would plan my escape. I know that compound like the back of my hand. I memorized what times the guards were there, and when Pitch was there. I have been trying to get my arm broken for a while now because I needed the splint. I finally got it today, but before I got the splint, I was taken to Pitch. He wasn't very happy about me being defiant, and he basically told me to never to speak of you guys again after I said hope wasn't on his side." Jack finished with a pained sighed.

North had been silent during the entire thing. "Come, we must inform other Guardians, let them hear your story as well." Jack was led to a room with a giantt globe in the center, clusters of golden lights spotting acrossed it. The clusters seemed to be growing larger, which was both good and bad. Good because it meant Jack's stories were getting because it showed you the extent of Pitch's doing.

North walked over to the control desk and did something, then, a moment later, the Northern Lights took off into the sky, a signal to the other Guardians.

"Won't Pitch be suspicious if he sees them?"

"Nah, we do it all the time. Pitch does not even care anymore. He thinks we have given up!" North gave a belly laugh that made Jack smile.

They didn't have to wait long for the other Guardians to arrive. Sandy was first.

The little man flew right past Jack at first, before flying back, eyes wide. The dreamcaster then bundled him up in a hug, accidentally getting dreamsand all over him. Jack yawned, fighting sleep. He hadn't slept in four years, not wanting to endure nightmares that roamed the compound.

"Sandy! No, please don't send me to sleep!" Jack said panicking. Sandy looked at him confusedly, adding a question mark to his expression.

"I… I haven't slept in four years. I couldn't, too many nightmares around." Sandy gave a reassuring smile to him and showed him a couple of images. "You… won't let the nightmares get me?" Jack guessed. Sandy nodded, and Jack yawned. He was really tired.

"Not too long, okay?" Sandy nodded, and with that, Jack was out like a rock, sleeping peacefully on a cloud of sand.

Tooth was next, an army of fairies behind her. She immediately saw Jack, sleeping. She let out a little silent squeal of joy when he opened his mouth slightly, revealing teeth white as snow. "North! That's a child! That's not just any child, either! That's Jack Frost! How did he get here!? I thought that Pitch had him, oh, his arm is broken! Oh, I am going to knock out all of Pitch's teeth! He's so cute and innocent!" Tooth whispered very quickly, getting angrier and faster in her rant.

"Tooth! Shh, he is sleeping. He has not slept in four years. He deserves to rest." North said consolingly. Tooth nodded, her anger being forgotten when she had to pull her mini fairies away from the boy's mouth.

Bunny was next, complaining loudly about the cold to North. He was surprised to have golden sand suddenly covering his muzzle and a very angry Sandy pointing to the sleeping child. Bunny's eyes widened and he shook his head, sure that he was imagining things.

"Is that… Jack Frost?" He whispered, and Sandy gave a happy nod. "Why does he look like he went a couple of rounds with a car?" Sandy shrugged and pointed to North. Bunny got the message. North was waiting to tell them when Jack was awake. So they waited, for hours. Tooth was taking a break. Pitch had left only the youngest of kids, the ones that absolutely needed their parents to take care of them. Since he had, she could not collect the imprisoned children's teeth, and the younger children very rarely lost their teeth.

Sandy should have been off, but he could send out dreams just fine here, and he was making sure that one very special child slept peacefully that night.

When Jack woke up, he almost had a panic attack when he saw a crowd of little fairies watching him sleep. "Ahh!" With that, Jack fell off the cloud of sand, hitting the floor with a yelp of pain and a loud thud. Ice shot out everywhere, coating the floor and lowering the temperature dramatically. "Ow…" He groaned. The little tooth fairies swarmed around him, obviously worried about him. One of the braver ones came right up to him and nuzzled into his cheek. "Hey, little Baby Tooth, I'm okay. Don't worry, just a little beat up from before I got here. Nothing that can't heal on its own in time."

The little fairy flew around his head as he let out a smile. Jack was fast to catch the other swooning fairies. He looked at them all with concern, afraid it was something that he had done. Baby Tooth assured him that they were okay, then darted out of the room, leaving him holding the slowly recovering fairies. "Um…." He said. He sighed in relief as the last of the fairies took flight once more, just as Baby Tooth returned with North, Sandy, and two others. One of them was obviously the Easter Bunny. They had crossed occasionally, but never got along, especially after the Blizzard of '68.

The other one must have been the Tooth Fairy, she looked like a larger version than her fairies. She saw Jack on the ground, awake, and she zoomed over to him. "Hi! You must be Jack, I'm Tooth! Can I see your teeth? I want to make sure that Pitch didn't ruin any of them." Jack looked at the little tooth fairies who were also giving him pleading looks, so Jack reluctantly nodded.

Like lightning, Jack's mouth was open and delicate hands were examining his teeth. After a while, they retreated, allowing Jack to close his mouth. Jack flashed the little fairies a half grin, which disappeared as they swooned again. The Guardian's chuckled at his face as he held them off the ground, worried. "Why do they keep doing that?" Jack said, turning to Tooth. Only to find that she too had fainted and was lying on the ground. "Uh… Oops?"

The Guardians laughed at his expression of concern. The only fairy not out cold was the one Jack had affectionately dubbed Baby Tooth.

Do not worry, Jack. They like your teeth." North said.

"I'm… honored?" Jack said hesitantly, hoping the fairies in his hands would recover soon. He almost gave them a grin when they did, but stopped himself at the last minute. The fairies each gave him a dreamy smile and flew over to their mother, who woke with a start.

"What?" She flustered around for a few minutes until she remembered what happened. Then she went bright red.

"So, Frostbite. How did ya get so beat up?" Bunny said, not one to beat around the bush.

Jack seemed to freeze, caught up in a memory. Finally, he repeated his story, his voice trembling the entire time. When he was done, the Guardians were speechless. Tooth dive-bombed him in a hug, Sandy looked like he was going to murder someone. Bunny looked angry and guilty.

"Come on, Jack. I'm takin' ya ta my Warren so I can fix ya up." His tone left no room for argument, and Jack fell through a tunnel, too surprised to stop himself. The Guardians looked at each other, expressions grim, determined to keep their snowflake safe from the monster that still had not realized he was missing a very special spirit.

**A/N: To everyone who read this before, I am sorry, I don't know why it took out all of the spacing, but it should be fixed now. Thank you for telling me!**


	2. The End of Terror

_**Well, I think I've made you all wait long enough for the second, and last, chapter of this story, and I hope it doesn't disappoint. Now that I've said that, go! Yell at me for taking so long to write this because it's been a whole YEAR! **_

**_I'm about to go into a whole bunch of thank you stuff, so if you want to read the story, skip down to the unbolded part!_**

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_**Thank you:**_

_**Haruki Uzumaki-chan 2-7-15**_

_**Alicanteblood 1-12-15**_

_**kidamerica123 10-6-14**_

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_**A winter storm 7-8-14**_

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_**For all favoriting this story**_

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**_Thank you:_**

_**TheGhostSeeker 03-20-2015**_

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_**For all following this story.**_

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**_Finally, thank you:_**

_**Guest chapter 1 . Jan 19**_

_**please update soon**_

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_**kidamerica123 chapter 1 . Oct 6, 2014**_

_**great start. Please update**_

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_**Rebel Glow chapter 1 . Sep 25, 2014**_

_**Squee! I want more!**_

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_**Peaceful Dragon Rose chapter 1 . Jul 26, 2014**_

_**good chapter**_

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_**A winter storm chapter 1 . Jul 8, 2014**_

_**Update please!**_

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_**skylaeatpie chapter 1 . Apr 24, 2014**_

_**Oh my glob... this was amazing. I absolutely loved this. Pretty pretty please keep going with this story! Its beautiful!**_

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_**No longer exsists chapter 1 . Apr 15, 2014**_

_**Cool! Write more, I BEG YOU!**_

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_**thatcrazyjellyfish chapter 1 . Apr 10, 2014**_

_**This story is amazing like just wow so good can not wait for the next chapter**_

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_**TheStarsInTheSkyShineSoBright chapter 1 . Mar 8, 2014**_

_**Epic! Hope you update soon!**_

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_**Treehugeer chapter 1 . Mar 8, 2014**_

_**Iove this story! You are a really good writer!**_

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_**Brenne chapter 1 . Mar 8, 2014**_

_**This looks really interesting. I would love to see more please!**_

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_**Cat Girl 1995 chapter 1 . Mar 8, 2014**_

_**this is great! just as good as what you told me!**_

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_**Shamira The Guardian chapter 1 . Mar 8, 2014**_

_**It's a good story, but you need to space it out so it's easier to read.**_

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_**OrangeChima chapter 1 . Mar 7, 2014**_

_**I am really interested in this story, but I like your other fics so that does not surprise me. This was a bit hard to read however, because it reads as one large paragraph that keeps making you lose your place.**_

* * *

_**EmotionalDreamer101 chapter 1 . Mar 7, 2014**_

_**This is really interesting, I love this.**_

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_**Well, no, this is my final thank you, actually. Thank you to all who have read this, no matter how may months, *cough* one year *cough* it has been since I first posted it.**_

* * *

Jack looked warily around the brightly lit and loudly colored spring wonderland he had landed in, because with all of that light, there seemed to be even more shadows. So, so, so many shadows. He flinched back as Bunny roughly grabbed his shoulder, hauling him back away from the little spotlight of sun… or whatever lit the Warren, amongst the shadows, into the dark.

"Hey! No, I don't want to be in the dark!" he cried out, struggling against the giant pooka.

"Whoa, kid, calm down. Pitch can't get ya in here," Bunny soothed, stopping in the dark and loosening his hold on the younger, much, much younger, spirit.

"But… but the shadows… He said that he could go ANYWHERE where there were shadows," Jack protested, looking wide eyed at the other.

"Not here. Pitch would have ta take ovah a whole galaxy ta have enough powah ta get through the wards on this place. Do ya think there would be any shadows or darkness in here if I thought that that bloody dingo could get his slimey arse in here?"

"I don't know… I don't know you very well," Jack replied, "and your tunnels remind me of when Pitch uses the shadows to travel."

Bunny sighed and nodded, taking a step back, despite wanting to just wrap the poor kid in a hug and keep him safe in his home. "I'll give ya that. Yer just gonna have ta trust me, Frostbite."

Jack perked up at the nickname, half scowling and half smiling at the same time. "Don't call me that," he chuckled.

"I'll call ya whatevah I like, Frostbite," Bunny retorted with a snort, guiding the Spirit of Winter though his spring and to his Burrow. The spirit zipped around on the wind, a little shakily from the over powered connection, but he managed as he examined the humble abode made of dirt and grass and ancient, polished wood.

"What's with the hobbit hole?" he asked.

"Oi! That's my Burrow! Ain't a hobbit hole! What… what's a hobbit hole in the first place?" Bunny scoffed in annoyance.

"It's a place where a hobbit lives… um, never mind… You wouldn't understand," Jack replied, landing next to the elder male once more. "So… you live here?"

"Yup. C'mon inside, let's get ya patched up proper and then, if ya want, I'll give ya a grand tour of the place," Bunny answered enthusiastically.

"Maybe," Jack said noncommittally.

Bunny's ears lowered slightly when Jack walked past him into the Burrow, realizing that if Manny wasn't pranking them or something, Jack was to become a Guardian, and he would have to go against Pitch. If his reaction to the dark was anything to go by, then the Guardian of Hope wasn't sure the kid was up to the challenge.

Jack had his mouth open in awe as he took in the home, his fingers itching to just touch everything and examine it. He started to reach out to run his hand over a chair, but pulled back, fearful that ice would ruin the wood.

"It ain't gonna break if ya touch it, ya know," Bunny assured as he closed the door.

Jack reached back out and touched the chair, beautiful frost patterns spiraling from his hand. He snapped his hand back to his chest, an apology on his lips, but Bunny cut him off to it.

"Wow, mate, that's beautiful," the Pooka breathed, having never taken the time to look at the things that the lonely troublemaker created. He had always focussed more on the fact that he was causing trouble.

"R-Really?" Jack managed, looking up in surprise.

"Yeah, mate, I nevah notice 'em before."

"Sorry about your chair…" Jack said, still fearful that Bunny would blow up at him for what he had done.

"Nah, mate, don't worry about it. Ya said that without ya stick, ya can't really control ya powers, right?"

"It's a staff," Jack corrected stiffly.

"What's the difference?" Bunny asked obliviously.

"What if I called your boomerangs sticks?" Jack challenged.

Bunny glared at him in clear offense before sighing and drawing in his temper. He had to remember that this kid had gone through hell and blowing up at him was not going to help.

"C'mon, Frostbite, let's get ya patched up. Don't worry about the chairs."

Jack nervously followed the rabbit to a different room that had a comfortable couch taking precedence, as well as a burning fireplace and a coffee table made of the same wood that everything else in the Burrow seemed to be made of.

"Wow."

"Sit down. If ya would be kind enough to not freeze my fireplace, that would be much appreciated," Bunny called as he bounded out, retrieving his first aid kit and setting to work on cleaning and bandaging Jack's wounds, putting a salve over the multitude of bruises that littered the eldest child's skin.

"Why are you helping me in the first place?" Jack asked.

"Because we need you, Jack," Bunny replied slowly, not wanting to set off the untrusting spirit.

"Why?"

"Because four years ago, Manny gave a message ta us Guardians… That message said that you were supposed ta become a Guardian and help us protect the children o' the world from Pitch…" he answered.

"Manny?" Jack asked, steel edging its way into his voice, "As in, Man in Moon? The spirit that did nothing for THREE HUNDRED YEARS while I BEGGED and PLEADED for answers? The one that did NOTHING when I asked him to help the children that were being taken? That spirit is worse than PITCH!"

"Now, see here, Frostbite, Manny ain't as bad as ya think, he's a busy spirit, and he can't just be making time for troublemakahs!" Bunny protested, wincing at his own words. Defiance that had not been in the boy's eyes before now shown like cold iron in his icy blue eyes as the wind seemed to converge on him, encasing him in a snowstorm in the heart of spring.

"If he couldn't make time to answer one thing in all this time, then he can find himself a new guardian to use. I'm leaving."

"Where are ya gonna go, Jack? What about Pitch?" Bunny protested, expecting the other to back down at his words.

"Pitch? I'm not afraid of Pitch. I'm afraid of the dark," Jack sneered, hurt lacing his words. "And your precious Warren is not the only warded realm that exists. You forget that I also have a realm. And darkness doesn't dare touch it."

Bunny backed up at the ancient undertone that accompanied Jack's words. "Jokul," he breathed.

"That's right. Jokul Frosti and Jack Frost. Hear the similarities? That's because we are the same. I will do what you SCARED Guardians have neglected to do and I'm going to put Pitch on ice!"

"Jack, no! He's too powerful-"

"I do not rely on the belief of children to give me power, and the shadows are nothing. You must have forgotten what the darker side of winter holds. Death. Destruction. Despair. Most of all, FEAR. Pitch may think he is the master of it, but he knows nothing of its true power."

"But I do!" Bunny snarled. Jack paused at this, though the frightening monster of ice didn't really look like it was the friendly if skittish Jack Frost. "My entire race was wiped out by fearlin's, Jack. I know how terrifyin'ly powerful fear can be. There is a reason why we didn't go aftah Pitch. I refuse ta allow that ta happen ta anothah race, especially humans."

"Then what do you propose I should do, because I am not becoming a Guardian," Jack spat.

"Just… Let us have a meetin' and discuss what we should do. But don't be goin' off on yer own. Pitch ain't the only one that'll be lookin' for ya," Bunny persuaded.

"Not at the Pole," Jack said after a few minutes of silent contemplation.

"Why? I mean, I ain't arguin', but don't ya prefer the cold?" Bunny asked.

"No… I hate the cold… Weird, huh? But that compound… it was always cold. And dark. And Pitch always said that cold and dark go perfectly with each other… Oh, and I don't want to go to the Pole because Pitch can get in there. He was always bragging about it, saying how if he wanted you, he could capture you all at one of your precious meetings and then no one in the world could stop him."

"Then we'll have it here," Bunny concluded.

"Best call them," Jack suggested, so that was exactly what Bunny did, summoning the other Guardians to his home.

"Bunny! Is Jack alright?" Tooth demanded urgently as she flew through the Warren to the Burrow. Upon seeing the icy Jack glaring around him distrustfully, she tackled Bunny, rapidly demanding what he had done to poor Jack.

"Oi, sheila, get offa me!" Bunny ordered, gently shoving her away. "Wait until North an' Sandy get here."

"Fine."

Once the others were indeed there, Bunny explained why they were having a meeting.

"Jack! You can't go after Pitch by yourself! He's way too powerful!" Tooth immediately protested, getting right up into the skittish spirit's personal bubble. Jack glared at her balefully, the fairy backing up in fear.

"No. He is not. You are just too scared of him. Don't you see? That's how he works. He paralyzes you with fear so you can't fight against him."

"Then how come it doesn't work on you?"

"Because my fear is being alone and in the dark. Pitch needs light to cast shadows, and if he is there, I'm not alone. Little difficult to be scared when facing him negates my fears."

No one was quite sure how to respond to that. "Let uz help you, Jack, no?" North asked.

"What, so I can sit and wait and do nothing for another four years?" Jack spat.

"No! Newz in de street iz dat Pitch vill be at Burgezz tonight to be looking for you!" North boomed.

Jack blinked at the large, jolly man, and then grinned. "I have an idea. You aren't gonna like it, but I think it should work."

"What is it?" Bunny asked, translating for Sandy.

Jack touched down on the cool water, thick ice spreading from his bare toes to the edges of the pond, freezing it solid and causing light to reflect from the full moon, casting away the dark and shadows that swamped the entrance to the Winter Realm, one that should always be frozen. You couldn't get into it if it wasn't.

Jack glared at the moon, silently calling him a coward. He was. The Man in the Moon was too much of a coward to admit that he had screwed up, and now he was going to pay the price for it.

"There you are, Frost," a voice purred from the shadows of the trees. Jack didn't turn, didn't flinch, didn't make any move that he had heard.

Black sand reached for the white haired boy, but it was blasted back by Jack, a cold chuckle, more spine chilling than Pitch's worst, echoed around the pond, bouncing off trees and rocks, making it sound like it was coming from everywhere.

"Hello, Pitch. So good of you to come visit," Jack sneered.

"My my, we're feeling brave, aren't we?" Pitch spat. "Did you really think I wouldn't sense the Guardians, lying in wait to ambush me?"

Jack chuckled again. "They didn't think you would. But I would. I want them to see what happens when people mess with winter. Starting with you," Jack corrected, waving his hand.

Pitch gasped as ice encased his body up to his chest and pulled him forward, into the very center of the pond, right at the center of light.

"You think you know fear, Pitch. You think you know how to control it. But you don't. You were right, though, when you say that cold and dark go hand and hand together. But cold and dark worked together long before you began your reign of terror, and in four years, the only thing you've accomplished was making me pissed and getting anyone I might be afraid to hurt out of the way. You think that I am a foolish, naive little sprite, don't you?"

"N-now, Frost, let's talk about this, in the shade, hmm?" Pitch tried to persuade, knowing full well that it was hopeless.

"Answer me, Pitch."

"Yes, I think you're a pathetic little sprite that doesn't know what he's getting into and you will be severely punished when I get out of here!" Pitch threatened.

Jack laughed at that, seeming to just appear right in front of the shade. "Then you are a fool, Nightmare King. I am the Spirit of Winter. All of winter. Do you know what happens to people who stay out in the cold too long?"

"They freeze," Pitch snarled, rolling his golden eyes.

"Yes. They freeze. Their fingers start to burn at the tips, then their hands and arms. It's painful. It's slow. Then they lose the ability to feel them. They become useless. Their body turns blue as their blood freezes within them and your mind and heart try to keep you alive by shutting down any non essential thing. You go to sleep, Pitch. Do you know what I can do when people go to sleep? I can either make their death peaceful… Happy, even. But if I want, I can make it into a nightmare," he purred, idly twirling a snowflake on his fingers. To Pitch, the snowflake was outright menacing. "I can do that when people are awake, too. As a warning. But you don't get a warning, not after what you've done to me."

Jack's voice seemed to be made of multiple, every aspect of the darker side of winter trying to speak through the spirit. "You have been trying to put me to sleep for years now. Let me return the favor."

With those words, he leaned forward and softly blew the snowflake at Pitch, the shade flinching and thrashing, trying to escape it. But it landed on target, sinking beneath the skin. In no time at all, gold sand began to fly up around his head, a happy looking dream, but a nightmare to Pitch.

Jack raised his hand and the ice encased Pitch, forever trapping him within his dream, the ice destined to never melt. He slammed his fist to the ground, and the frozen figure sank through the surface, into the prisons of the Winter Realm.

Like they had been summoned, the grim looking Guardians emerged. Everything had gone as planned. They wished they had been more involved, but their only job that Jack had allowed them to do was provide a slight distraction. Well, Sandy had helped with making sure Jack didn't go full dark, but that wasn't something Jack had actually planned. He was just very thankful for it.

Jack, now done with his task, dropped like a rock, fast asleep on the ice, restoring winter to the order it had lost upon his capture.

"Let him be, Tooth," Bunny ordered softly when she went to wake him up out of worry. "We still have work to do."

Parents everywhere were joyous to for the return of their beloved children, who would be the start of a new generation that actively knew that spirits existed and that there were good ones and bad ones. But there was one spirit that seemed to be stuck as just a legend. A legend that every man, woman, and child knew of, even after hundreds of years.

"It is said that long, long ago, when the evil Pitch Black tried to take over our world, he took a single spirit and imprisoned him. For years, the spirit helped his fellow prisoners and told them of the spirit world. He protected everyone, and he still does. Our Guardian."

"But then why isn't he one of the Guardians?"

"He's not one of the Guardians because he was once asked to be part of them, but he refused. He could protect us better if he wasn't with them," the man explained.

"Well, then, who is he?"

"His name is Jack Frost, and he is the Spirit of Winter. If you are lucky, and if you believe, you can hear him laughing as he rides the wind, watching over us. Some say that they have even seen him, with white hair, blue eyes, and a wooden staff. Do you believe in Jack Frost?"

The entire assembly nodded eagerly.

"Then make sure you listen for him and never, ever forget what he has done for you."

Jack smiled from the window, keeping himself hidden. But he couldn't help but point himself out to the classroom of children who were complaining about the end of the story.

"Believe," he breathed, making it start to snow inside and zipping out just slowly enough that a few lucky children saw him and pointed, excitement and joy filling the air. "I'll keep you safe from the shadows."

With another smile, he flew into the air, higher and higher, until he was in space and staring down at his planet, so peaceful and so happy. That was how it would stay. Forever.


	3. Paris Message

_**THIS IS NOT A CHAPTER UPDATE!**_

**_Hello, everyone. Wolfy here. _**

**_I am posting this chapter to address that tragedy that happened yesterday, November 13, 2015, in Paris. I am an American, and I was too young to remember 9/11, so I cannot imagine what those of you that were there, or anyone that has been victims of ISIS attacks, can be feeling. But I thought that I should remind everyone that dividing and setting against each other is not what we should be doing right now. I want to remind you that blaming someone else may be the easy way out. You want a face to turn your anger towards, or something more substantial and bigger than a cowardly terrorist organization that preys on those that in no way deserve what happened to them. Do not blame Muslims or people from Islam. They, too, are feeling the pain of what happened. _**

**_Please do not try to start a war against them. Do you remember learning about World War Two? How Hitler blamed the Jews for all of Germany's problems? How he convinced the public that doing so would make everything better?_**

**_Nothing gets better by discriminating someone in a broad stereotype like saying a certain religion is all Evil. It is like saying all Christians are part of the KKK, or all Atheists are Satan-worshiping cannibals. (On a side note, where did that even come from?)_**

**_The thing that I'm trying to say is that this is not about religion. This is about mad men trying to cause panic and distrust in the people of the world. A house divided against itself cannot stand, and today, we are a house that had been shaken to its foundation. We cannot break apart today, or any day, for that means that the terrorist will have another victory._**

**_I say victory not in the sense of great accomplishment, or great glory, but in the context of fulfilling a goal. _**

**_They want us to be scared._**

**_They want us to panic._**

**_That's how cowards work, you see. They break down the bigger power, the power of love, loyalty, compassion and unity that we hold for each other, and keep breaking you down until you can't hope to rise against them. _**

**_I hope that I speak for a lot of people in saying that I refuse to break down and bow to the scare tactics of ISIS and their actions, and refuse to live in fear of them. I do not pray to any God, but I hope with all my heart that anyone affected by this tragedy, whether directly or just touched by it in their souls, will recover and not direct the blame towards anyone but those behind this horrific even that is sure to go down in infamy. _**

**_Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I apologize that this is not an update to any story. I am putting this in all of my stories, and I hope that it will help in any way they can. _**

**_Sincerely,_**

**_Wolfrunner99-2_**


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